Entries in sports marketing
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September 21, 2009: Coca-Cola kicked off the eight-month countdown to the 2010 FIFA World Cup by unveiling a wealth of marketing plans, including multi-media advertising, consumer-generated Web content and the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour.

The World Cup will be held June 11-July 11, 2010 in South Africa. The final draw for the groups is to take place in Cape Town Dc. 4. Coca-Cola has had a formal association with FIFA since 1974 and has been an official sponsorship of FIFA World Cup since 1978.

Coke's marketing efforts, under the umbrella “Open Happiness" campaign, will include three commercials: "Roger Milla," which shows how the former World Cup star, who played in three World Cups for Cameroon and scored four goals in the 1990 tournament, inspired others with his energy, enthusiasm and unique post-goal celebration; "Quest," an animated tale of a "young athlete's quest to find his perfect goal" celebration; and "Borders," which show the "hilarious things that sometimes happen as the FIFA World Cup trophy makes its way around the globe." Support includes commemorative packaging, signage at stadiums, print and Internet. The FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour presented by Coca-Cola will visit 86 countries, with the African leg beginning this week in Cairo and ultimately reaching Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa in June.

African leg of the World Cup Trophy Tour presented by Coca-ColaOther elements of the global campaign include: Celebrating the Goal, a 60-minute documentary that follows players en route to the World Cup, which will be shown globally prior to the tournament; fans uploading their own goal celebrations to a Coke Web site, which will be "edited into a continuous loop to create a non-stop celebration," offering eligible fans the opportunity to win FIFA World Cup tickets;

“Football, especially during the FIFA World Cup, can motivate people to ‘let go’ a bit and express their passion in a spontaneous way,” Joe Tripodi, chief marketing and commercial leadership officer for Coca-Cola, said in a statement. “This is particularly true of African football, where there is often a heightened passion for exuberant, colorful celebrations both on and off the field. That is the inspiration for our entire campaign.”